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The Fracture Triangle

You’ve probably heard of the Bermuda Triangle… but have you heard of the Fracture Triangle? Your likelihood of breaking a bone after a fall is determined by three things: The fall itself The force and direction of the fall (how hard you fall, and what you fall on) The fragility of the bones that take the impact Falls are serious at any age, and breaking a bone after a fall becomes more likely as you age. Often there is a link between breaking a bone and osteoporosis — a disease involving the loss of bone tissue or bone density. If … Continue reading →

Sixteen Helpful Home Modifications for Seniors

Home modifications are one way to help a senior stay in his or her home safely — rather than have to relocate with family or to an assisted living facility. Modifications can help a person adapt to changes in ability and health, prevent falls, and more. In the bathroom: Replace the toilet with a higher (taller) model or one with a longer seat to make it easier to get up and down. This is especially useful for people in wheelchairs or with hip issues. Install grab bars around the bathtub and toilet to make getting up and down easier and … Continue reading →

Types of Physical Therapy

Physical therapy is an umbrella that encompasses many specialties. Here are a few of the most common areas of specialization for physical therapists. Pediatric physical therapy deals with congenital, developmental, neuromuscular, neuroskeletal, and other disorders in infants, children, and adolescents. A pediatric physical therapist can help detect, diagnose, treat, and manage a wide variety of conditions, including: Cerebral palsy Spina bifida Developmental delays Pediatric physical therapy focuses on balance and coordination, improving motor skills (both fine motor and gross motor), building strength and endurance, and sensory integration. At the other end of life, geriatric physical therapists deals with aging and … Continue reading →

Preventing Bathtub Injuries

A fall can be dangerous at any age — from toddler to senior and everything in between. A recent study found that more than 43,000 children are injured in the bathtub every year in the United States. The bathtub can be a dangerous place. Other studies have looked at the risk of burns from hot water and drowning and near-drowning incidents. Now researchers from the Center for Injury Research and Policy (part of the Research Institute at Nationwide Children’s Hospital in Columbus, Ohio) are taking a look at slips and falls. Researchers looked at eighteen years of bathtub slip and … Continue reading →

File Under “Poor Decisions”

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I was out walking the dogs before work the other morning — it’s just about the first thing I do after I get up every day. On this particular day, I spotted a cat with strange markings. (Thankfully, the dogs did NOT spot the cat.) The cat was a brown tabby with a white belly and white socks on three feet. The fourth leg — the back left one, if you want to be particular about it — was white all the way to the hip. But after I noticed the coloring, I noticed the way the cat was walking: … Continue reading →

Different Types of Dizziness

Feeling lightheaded? Woozy? A little dizzy? You’re not alone. Dizziness is one of the most common complaints general practitioners hear! Many different things can cause dizziness, which is why medical professionals distinguish between different types of dizziness. Vertigo: a spinning sensation. Disequilibrium: the feeling of being off-balance. Dizziness: can include light-headedness, vertigo, and disequilibrium. The spinning sensation of vertigo usually indicates an inner ear problem. The problem can be caused by any number of things, including head injury, virus, or problems with inner ear fluid. When things aren’t quite right in the inner ear, your brain gets incorrect messages about … Continue reading →

Ritalin may Help Prevent Falls

You may be familiar with Ritalin (methylphenidate) because of its use in treating hyperactivity… but a recent study took a look at other benefits the drug might have. The Sackler School of Medicine at Tel Aviv University held a study on the effects of Ritalin in older adults. Twenty-six healthy, independently living seniors participated in the study. Some were given a placebo; some were given Ritalin (or a generic equivalent). The seniors were given a fall screening test before and after the drugs were administered. The test required participants to: Rise from a sitting position Walk ten feet (approximately three … Continue reading →

Falls and Brain Injury

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Breaking a hip isn’t the only thing to fear when an older adult has an unintentional fall. Brain injury can cause long-term problems, affect how a person functions, and even impact emotional well-being! Some unpleasant statistics from a U.S. Centers for Disease Control study: Traumatic brain injuries (TBI) from a fall resulted in nearly 8,000 deaths in seniors and more than 50,000 hospitalizations in 2005. The death and hospitalization rates for TBI increase as age increases. The average hospital stay for an older adult with a fall-related TBI is four days. The average cost of a hospital stay for an … Continue reading →

Caring for Your Cast

If you’ve broken a bone, you may end up needing to spend some quality time wearing a cast. Here are some tips to help care for your cast! Keep the cast dry. It’s going to be a pain, but you’ve got to do your best. Wrap the cast in plastic if you want to bathe — a bath may be easier than a shower, depending on where the cast is. When I had nine stitches in my palm and had to keep them dry, I had a heck of a time washing up. A bath was easier because I could … Continue reading →

First Aid: Broken Bone

I’ve got lots of weird and funny broken bone stories — usually fingers and toes. I broke a toe in gym class playing soccer when I missed the ball and kicked a classmate instead. I broke a finger when a friend threw a brick at me. Nearly seven million Americans see an orthopedic specialist for a broken bone each year. I saw one for one of my broken fingers… but used the plain old emergency room or family doctor for the others. The average citizen can expect to suffer two broken bones over a lifetime. I guess that makes me … Continue reading →